4756th Air Defense Wing

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4756th Air Defense Wing

F-102 Delta Dagger of the wing at Tyndall AFB in 1960
Active 1957-1960; 1962-1967
Country  United States
Branch  United States Air Force
Role Air Defense Fighter Training
Part of Air Defense Command
Insignia
Patch showing 4756th Air Defense Wing emblem

The 4756th Air Defense Wing was the designation of two different discontinued United States Air Force organizations.[1][2] Both wings were stationed at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida and fulfilled similar missions. The first was organized in 1957 when Air Defense Command (ADC) assumed responsibility for Tyndall from Air Training Command and focused on weapons testing and development and evaluating the readiness of ADC fighter units. The wing also controlled a ground control intercept radar squadron. This wing was discontinued in 1960 and its mission transferred to its parent 73d Air Division.

The second wing was organized in 1962. It also conducted testing, but focused on crew training for interceptor aircraft. During the Cuban Missile Crisis, the wing also assumed an alert state at bases in Florida. This wing was discontinued in 1968 and its mission transferred to the Air Defense Weapons Center, which had replaced the 73d Air Division at Tyndall in 1966.

History

The first wing was organized in 1957, when Tyndall Air Force Base was transferred from Air Training Command to Air Defense Command (ADC).[3] The primary mission of the wing was to conduct air defense weapons employment and testing.[4] From 1957-1959, the wing also controlled the 678th Aircraft Control & Warning Squadron, which performed the radar aircraft detection, warning, and control mission.[5] In addition to the mission units listed below, the wing was assigned various support and maintenance units to carry out its mission as host unit for Tyndall,[6] Between 1960 when the wing was discontinued and 1962, most of the wing's units were assigned directly to the 73d Air Division (Weapons).

A major responsibility of wing was to evaluate the readiness and effectiveness of Air Defense Command fighter-interceptor squadrons which were required to spend one month each year undergoing evaluation exercises at Tyndall. As part of this mission the 4756th also conducted the annual worldwide interceptor weapons meet called "William Tell." [7] The wing participated, along with Air Proving Ground Command, in developing the initial operational testing and development of tactics for the Convair F-102 Delta Dagger aircraft.[8]

The second wing provided interceptor combat crew training for McDonnell F-101 Voodoo (1962-1963), F-102 (1957-1960), Lockheed F-104 Starfighter and Convair F-106 Delta Dart (1962-1963) aircews, interceptor aircraft weapons training, and conducted operational testing and evaluation of manned interceptors, fire-control systems, and armament.[4] The wing was ADC's only unit conducting live firing and operating target control systems after the 4750th Air Defense Wing at Vincent Air Force Base, Arizona was discontinued.[4]

During the Cuban Missile Crisis, elements of the wing assumed an air defense alert mission.[9] After the crisis, the wing established a Detachment at Key West Naval Air Station to perform this mission.[10] The second wing was discontinued at the start of 1968 and its mission transferred to the Air Defense Weapons Center.[11]

Lineage

  • Designated as the 4756th Air Defense Wing (Weapons) and organized on 1 July 1957
Discontinued on 1 July 1960[1]
  • Designated as 4756th Air Defense Wing, (Training) and organized on 1 September 1962
Discontinued on 1 January 1968[1]

Assignments

  • 73d Air Division, 1 July 1957 - 1 July 1960[1]
  • 73d Air Division, 1 September 1962
Fourteenth Air Force, 1 April 1966 - 1 January 1968[1]

Stations

  • Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida, 1 July 1957 - 1 July 1960[1]
  • Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida, 1 September 1962 - 1 January 1968[1]

Components

  • 4756th Air Defense Group (Weapons),[12] 1 September 1962 - 1 January 1963
  • 4756th Drone Squadron,[13] 1 January 1963 - 1 January 1968
  • 4756th Flying Training Squadron,[10] 11 March 1967 - 1 January 1968
  • 4756th Operations Squadron,[10] 11 March 1967 - 1 January 1968
  • 4757th Air Defense Squadron,[14] 1 January 1963 - 1 January 1968

Commanders

  • Col. Dean Davenport, 1 July 1957 - after December 1958[5][8]
  • Col. Klem F. Kalberer, 1 September 1962 - after January 1963[4]
  • Col. William D. Harris, unknown - 1966[15]
  • Col. Thomas D. DeJarnette, 1966 - after January 1967[15]

See also

References

Notes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 Cornett, Lloyd H; Johnson, Mildred W (1980). A Handbook of Aerospace Defense Organization, 1946–1980. Peterson AFB, CO: Office of History, Aerospace Defense Center. p. 67.  .
  2. ↑ Cornett & Johnson refers to this as a reactivation, however under USAF organizational rules at the time, the wing was a MAJCON (4-digit) unit and the lineage of the first 4756th Air Defense Wing had been terminated and could not be revived. Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). A Guide to Air Force Lineage and Honors (2d, Revised ed.). Maxwell AFB, AL: USAF Historical Research Center. p. 12.  (An updated, but abbreviated, version of this work is available at A Guide to USAF Lineage and Honors)
  3. ↑ Mueller, Robert (1989). Air Force Bases, Vol. I, Active Air Force Bases Within the United States of America on 17 September 1982. Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. p. 562. ISBN 0-912799-53-6. 
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Abstract, History of 4756th Air Def Wg, Jul 1957-Dec 1963 (accessed March 14, 2012)
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Abstract, History of 4756th Air Def Wg, Jul-Dec 1958 (accessed March 14, 2012)
  6. ↑ Mueller., p. 564
  7. ↑ Abstract, History of 4756th Air Def Wg CY 1959 (accessed March 14, 2012)
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Abstract, History of 4756th Air Def Wg, Jul-Dec 1957 (accessed March 14, 2012)
  9. ↑ Abstract, History of 4756th Air Def Wg, CY 1962 (accessed March 14, 2012)
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 Abstract, History of 4756th Air Def Wg, Jul-Dec 1967 (accessed March 14, 2012)
  11. ↑ Abstract, History of 325th Ftr Wg, 1942-1992 (accessed March 14, 2012)
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 Cornett & Johnson, p.90
  13. ↑ Cornett & Johnson, p. 112
  14. ↑ Cornett & Johnson, p. 106
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 Abstract, History of 4756th Air Def Wg, CY 1966 (accessed 14 Mar 2012)

Bibliography

 This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the Air Force Historical Research Agency.

Further Reading

External links

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